The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-01-13
ABOUT THE INSANE ASYLUM,
WIZ PROVISION THE STATE
m AK rs FOR ITS UNFORTUNATES.

| !" -AkA LS + OR lis UNI FOhl u N Al ES,
Extracts from the Annual Report of the
Board of Directors, Accompanied with
Suggestions to the Legislature.
| LII the Legislature of 1S48 the county OF
| Cumberland was represented by a man of
small stature, of feeble forearm, of deli
cate constitution, of innate suavity, gen.
| tleness and dignity. That was memora-
BILE session, and the representative from
Cumberland was no less distinguished a
man than Hon. James Cochrane Dobbin,
| who was afterwards member Of Con
fgress, and Secretary Of the Navy lie vas
/ one of the number .of North Carolnii.ns
who won National fame and enjoyed the
| tribute Of Nations confidence and a Ma
| tons respect. Mr.. Dobbin has not had a
| superior in North Carolina in the COM
bined elements that go to make-a great
man. We think that we have had other
men who, probably, were ADLER and more
learned, but in North Carolina, or in the
Union for that matter, there has not lived
a man, of whose history we are acquainted,
who dying under forty three years Of age,
attained such high position or who had
more claims on the grateful remembrance
of the people.
The CHRONICLE might point out many
of the acts in the life of this dead but
sceptered sovereign" of a former era, of
whom DR.. Henry E. Shepherd, quoting
Tennyson, has said ''He wore the white
flower of blameess life To-day, how
ever, writing upon this subject, we shall
content oursef with basing his claims for
affectionate regard upon the fact that in
the Legislature of 1913 he secured the
appropriation, in the face of apparently in
vincible obstacles. for the Lunatic Asylum
on Dix Hill. 1t is possible that some of
our readers are not familiar with the his
tory of this legislation. We have before
published it in these columns, but we
think it ought often to be published so
that the younger men may know why
people of his day loved hin and gave him
position.
In that Legislature the bill to appro-
pirate an amount to establish an Insane
Asylum was introduced, advocated by
some members, but was defeated. Later
IN Tie session the bill was again introduced
but it stood little chance OF becoming a
law. Upon its second introduction Mr..
Dobbin left the Speakers chair and came
IN upon the floor of the House and
made an eloquent speech in favor of the
measure. By the etfs9. of hat asaoo:. sl.s-
bill was passed, Notwithstanding during
the same session it had been defeated
Referring to this great speech-the eff
feet of which was to secure a reversal of
the majority against the asylum-Mr. c.
5. WoOten, of Ienoir, whose father was
member of the Legislature of 1910, wrote
to the editor of the CHRONICLE
My father said that while Mr. Dobbin
was making his speech in behalf of the
unfortunate insane, his wife was lying
corpse in Raleigh, and that she had on
her death-Led Implored her husband to
make a speech in favor of the bill; and
that, fired by her parting words, he spoke
as one inspired, and by the influence of
that speech, the bill was finally passed
making the appropriation for the asylum.
at constitutes" to quote Prof. Shepherd
ian unfading memorial of his majestic
elOquelce.' | have heard older men say
that Mr.. Dobbin could go into a political
convention and make a speech, and by his
thrilling elOquence stir and fire the whole
body and create an enthusiasm that was
irresistible and made everybody feel that
they ought to go home and engage in the
cause that seemed almost sacred He
Grated by his speech what you might call
a political revival"
5, great is our admiration for this great
man, and so intimately is his name inter
woven with the work of humanity in our
State, that we think words of commenda-
ton or criticism of the Asylum ought al
ways to be accompanied by tribute to
Mr.. Dobbin, who was, in certain sense,
its founder.
But the idea Of establishing a Lunatic
Asylum in the State did not originate with
Mr.. Dobbin. He effected what Miss ID l..
Dix, a Northern lady, agitated and plan
ned. Somewhere in the latter part of the
forties Miss Dix, who devoted her life to
urging the States to make provision for
the insane, came to North Carolina and
collected statistics in reference to insanity
and interested many in the plan of estab-
fishing an Asylum. She was great wo-
man and lives to-day to look with salts
faction upon the fruits of her devotion to
the cause of the unfortunate insane, not
only in North Carolina but in other States
of the Union. Her love and sympathy for
those bereft Of reason knew no State
bounds and she went to every State where
no provision was made for lunacy and
stirred up the people in the line Of duty
until Asylums were established. In So
cial Hall at the Asylum, near Raleigh, is
a picture of this benevolent woman, and
the CHRONICLE hopes all visitors TO that
Institution will ask to look upon the face
of Miss Dix, who deserves every tribute
that we give to unselfsh generosity. There
also hangs in this Hall copy of the Resolu-
tiOns of Thanks to her, signed by Calvin
Graves. President Of the Senate, and kobt.
B. Gillian, Speaker Of the House.
There is tradition that while travelling
in some of the Western States in a stage
at night, a highway robber stopped the
coach and demanded the yaluables Of the
travellers Miss Dix put her head out the
window and asked the robber, in her pc
culiarly sweet voice, what he would have.
He responded, Nothing from you, mad
am. Nothing from you. l know that
voice. It was surmised that she had
ministered to him in his Affections or
while in prison had visited him.